1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety binding for a ski for releasably mounting the toe of a boot to a ski.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Safety bindings for mounting the toe of a boot to a ski, known as "front abutment bindings", comprise a body mounted on a base fixed to the ski. The rear portion of the body facing the toe of the boot generally carries a retention jaw in the form of two opposed lateral retention wings. An energization mechanism positioned in the body elastically biases the jaw into an engaged position in which the wings engage the toe of the boot and connect it to the ski. The elastic bias is created by a compressed energy spring, one end of which is supported on a support surface connected to the body, and the other end of which bears against a force transmission element that is longitudinally movable in the body. The force transmission element is coupled to the jaw in a manner so as to elastically bias the jaw to its engaged position at which the wings engage the toe of the boot and retain the boot on the ski.
Front abutment bindings of the type described above are disclosed in French Patent Nos. 2,179,183 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,002) and 2,523,857; and also in German Patentschrifft 2,366,249.
The front abutment binding in French Patent No. 2,179,183 comprises a retention jaw constituted by two independent wings journaled on axes laterally displaced relative to the longitudinal median plane of the ski. The front or internal ends of these wings cooperate with an axial end of a member mounted for longitudinal sliding in the binding and biased by a spring which forms a portion of the energization mechanism.
French Patent No. 2,523,857 discloses a front abutment binding comprising a support pedal in contact with the sole of the boot and which constitutes a sensor for detecting a downward bias as the toe of the boot moves towards the ski in response to an incipient forward fall of the skier. The jaw in this binding is journaled around a horizontal and transverse axis effecting an upward pivotal movement of the jaw in response to an upward vertical force resulting from an incipient rearward fall of the skier.
The front abutment binding described in German Patentschrifft 2,366,249 is also the type having independent lateral retention wings journaled around respective axes. The sole grip on the binding is upwardly movable in response to an incipient rearward fall of the skier; and upward movement effects compression of a spring of the energization mechanism of the binding. Such compression lessens the stiffness of the binding and thus diminishes the force required for lateral release of the front binding.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new improved safety binding that is more reliable than existing bindings, is simple in design, and has better sensitivity to release under the effect of a lateral bias imposed by the skier on the binding combined with either a frontward or rearward fall of the skier.